Old Mrs. Qin's words had scarcely left her lips when everyone in the dining hall fell to their knees en masse, their expressions filled with panic.
Except for one person.
As the only one standing amidst the sea of kneeling bodies, her upright figure was like a snow lotus perched atop a cliff, impossible to ignore.
Qin Liuxi stood straight, her eyes cast down upon the mandrake flower embroidered on her chest, pretending not to see the full room of kneeling people.
Old Mrs. Qin's gaze swept over her, her lips pressed tightly as her brows furrowed slightly.
Although Qin Liuxi was one of the Qin family, to Old Mrs. Qin she felt like an outsider who didn't engage in their affairs, someone beyond control.
"The Qin family has fallen. Your grandfathers, husbands, or fathers and brothers are all on the road to exile, enduring who knows what kind of torment, and we don't know if they are hungry, thirsty, sick, or..." Old Mrs. Qin's eyes brimmed with tears, yet she stubbornly wiped away the ones that were about to fall.
Cries of lamentation filled the parlor.
"Being exiled and having our property confiscated is not the same as being executed. The only thing we can be thankful for is this 'mercy' bestowed by the Holy Emperor. With proper arrangements, there will come a day when your fathers and brothers can return. Based on this assumption, we must properly take care of this household, stabilize it. Those of you remaining must also study hard, as if something untoward happens to them in the northwest, you will be the future pillars of the Qin family!"
"Grandmother, I will definitely study hard," Qin Mingqi from the second branch of the family said while clenching his fists and reddening eyes.
Aunt Wan nudged the little dumpling Qin Mingchun beside her; he uttered an "ah" sound, blinking his big bewildered eyes and echoing the statement, "I, I will do it too."
Studying, ah, studying is too difficult!
Old Mrs. Qin looked at these two grandsons, thinking of the legitimate eldest grandson of the first branch who had just turned twelve and was also taken away for exile, as well as the second branch's legitimate son, and tears started to roll down her cheeks.
Her husband, her three legitimate sons, and two grandsons, they were all on the road to exile; no one could understand her pain better than she did.
All she could do now was to pray for divine mercy, hoping they would arrive safely. Even if their lives were harder there, staying alive was what mattered most.
"Our property was confiscated so suddenly, and we couldn't take our belongings with us; the only fortunate thing is that we still have this old mansion to cover our heads. These are not the days of the past, and life for the Qin family will certainly not be like before. Drinking thin tea and eating simple meals will be the norm, and we'll have to swap our silk dresses for coarser cloth shoes..." Old Mrs. Qin started coughing.
Mrs. Wang lifted her head and wiped the slightly reddened corners of her eyes, saying, "Mother, don't worry. We have a long life ahead, and everyone is just temporarily confused, struggling to adapt. With time, they will understand."
Everyone goes through an adjustment process after falling from the clouds.
Even someone as strong-willed as her.
Thinking about her only son, who was on the road to exile, Mrs. Wang felt a piercing pain in her heart, but she took a deep breath. She was the Qin Family Matriarch; she could not show weakness.
"That's right, everyone get up. Finish this meal, and if there are things you don't understand, you can think them over slowly later," Old Mrs. Qin raised her hand, indicating for everyone to rise.
Everybody stood up, took their seats, and silently resumed eating, though the food tasted bland and uninspiring, they still had to force it down.
After the meal, Old Mrs. Qin told the concubines and the younger members of the family to return to their rooms, keeping only Mrs. Wang, Mrs. Xie, and Qin Meiniang to discuss how the household would be managed in the future. It was important to lay things out clearly.
Noticing the situation, Qin Liuxi made to leave, but Old Mrs. Qin stopped her.
"Miss Xi, you stay and listen as well."
Qin Liuxi paused, sat back down, and picked up a cup of tea.